Raise your children on Islamic principles

Children are a great ni'mah of Allah Ta'ala.  It is the responsibility of parents and other guardians to raise their children on Islamic principles and on the guidelines given to us by the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  They should make them achieve high standards of etiquette and character.  They should guide them towards what is good and should worry about their life of the hereafter as well.  If the children are not brought up properly, then it leads to a bad outcome.  For this reason, Islam has laid much stress on proper bringing up of children.  If children are brought up as per the Islamic guidelines, then indeed these children can be the very future of the community and the nation and can be the cause of reformation and success of humanity.    Allah Ta'ala says:    O Believers! Safeguard yourselves and your families against a Fire whose fuel is men and stones. Strong and stern angels have been appointed over it who do not disobey Allah whatever command He gives them to execute. And they accomplish only that assignment which they are commanded to do.  Surah Tahreem (107:06))   Islam has not only stressed on bringing up children properly, but has declared it such a right due to the children that if the parents don’t fulfill it, then they will be taken to task for this.   If because of carelessness in bringing up of children, the children end up walking down the wrong path and fall prey to (moral) anarchy, then not only will the community and the nation have to bear the brunt of this, but even the parents/guardians who were careless about the bringing up of children will be held responsible for these sins.   We need to accept and adopt the great examples left by the Prophets (May peace be upon them), the Ahle Bait, the Sahabah and the saints.  They have placed the instruction of children in the basic tenets of our faith above all other aspects of instruction of children and have enjoined their children to be steadfast on the true tenets of faith.  The advice of Hadhrat Ibrahim and Hadhrat Yaqub (May peace be upon them) to their children to be steadfast on the True Faith has been mentioned in the Holy Quran in the words:   And Ibrahim (Abraham) enjoined, by way of will, the same thing upon his sons and (so did) Ya‘qub (Jacob): ‘O my sons, verily, Allah has chosen for you the (true) Din (Religion) of Islam). So, (come what may) die not but as Muslims persevering with faith.’  Surah Baqarah (2:132)   Before his demise, Hadhrat Yaqub (May peace be upon him) said the following to his children:    Were you present (at the time) when death approached Ya‘qub (Jacob) when he asked his sons: ‘Whom will you worship after (my passing away)?’ They said: ‘We shall worship your God, the God of your ancestors Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isma‘il (Ishmael) and Ishaq (Isaac), Who is the One and Only God; and we (all) shall remain obedient to Him.’  Surah Baqarah (2:133)    There is a Hadith in Jame' Ul Ahadith Wal Maraseel:    You instruct your children in these 3 things:  The love of your Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), the love of the Ahle Bait of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and the recitation of the Holy Quran.  (Jame' Ul Ahadith Wal Maraseel, Hadith No. 961)    In this Hadith, the love of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is on the first place, the love of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and the recitation of the Holy Quran has been mentioned last.  Among these 3, the first 2 are of Aqida (basic tenets of faith) and the last one is of acting upon the commandments of Islam.  This shows that instruction in the tenets of faith should take precedence over others.  First, the children should be instructed in the 'Aqida and then the commandments of Islam and etiquette should come.

Dr. Mufti Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi Mujaddidi Qadri

Shaykh Ul Fiqh, Jamia Nizamia; Founder - Director

Mufti Maulana Syed Zia Uddin Naqshbandi Quadri

Shaik-ul-Fiqh - Jamia Nizamia

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Raise your children on Islamic principles